The Players Championship is Northeast Florida's signature event -- or is it?

[CityLife]

The Players, in my opinion is the runaway number 1 event, even for the City of Jacksonville. I won't even discuss the usual analysis of visitors to area for that weekend and what it does for the economy....

Last year The Players donated 7.1 million dollars to local charities. Now, I know some of those dollars go to charities that aren't in COJ, but I believe a substantial amount are. The Players is also a huge event for corporations that have local offices here. Many of the big wigs come down and make a week of it...in fact, I've heard it said that some relocations have happened partially as a result of execs/senior employees being able to come here for The Players and also to play the course in the offseason.  Which brings me to the next point, The Players has become such a popular event nationwide among golf fans, that it has become a destination trip, not just for the tourney, but also to play the course. I don't know how common it is, but I've heard going to the Tourney or coming here for a golf/beach weekend has become a stop on the bachelor party circuit....its definitely on the guys trip circuit. So really, its not just a one weekend thing, the course/tourney brings people here year round....I'll also add that it brings quite a bit of pro athletes, actors, and celebs.

There are also a substantial amount of upper middle class to wealthy people that would probably not live in the Jacksonville Beaches or Ponte Vedra if not for The Players. Not even going to make a guess on how many, but I'll say it is a substantial amount. Would the Town Center have stores like Nordstroms, Tiffany's, Louis Vutton, etc if not for that influx of wealth? Possibly not. Would there be as much fine dining (by Jax standards) in town if not? The city generates a substantial amount of sales tax and ad valorem taxes as a result of having a strong base of upper middle class/wealthy people at The Beaches. Additionally, local businesses also get a direct windfall from the tourney. I know of a local engineering firm (based in COJ) that got quite a bit of $ to work on the new clubhouse and other course additions. I'm sure a lot of Jax based restaurants made out quite well at the tourney also (they had a fantastic dining lineup btw). There are probably countless contractors, marketing/ad firms and so on that also get work from the tourney.

Ultimately, The Players has done for Jax/North Florida for the golfing/beach loving segment of the middle class to wealthy, what One Spark hopes to do for the more artistically and creatively inclined. IF One Spark can match that and attract outsiders to move here, invest here, visit here, and open businesses here, we will be blessed with two great events.

[ProjectMaximus]

Last year The Players donated 7.1 million dollars to local charities. Now, I know some of those dollars go to charities that aren't in COJ, but I believe a substantial amount are. The Players is also a huge event for corporations that have local offices here. Many of the big wigs come down and make a week of it...in fact, I've heard it said that some relocations have happened partially as a result of execs/senior employees being able to come here for The Players and also to play the course in the offseason.  Which brings me to the next point, The Players has become such a popular event nationwide among golf fans, that it has become a destination trip, not just for the tourney, but also to play the course. I don't know how common it is, but I've heard going to the Tourney or coming here for a golf/beach weekend has become a stop on the bachelor party circuit....its definitely on the guys trip circuit. So really, its not just a one weekend thing, the course/tourney brings people here year round....I'll also add that it brings quite a bit of pro athletes, actors, and celebs.

-How much does the Gator Bowl give each year? I can't find an exact figure.

-Read about this relocation to St Aug due to the TPC: http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2014/05/09/the-players-area-culture-inspires-defenshield-to.html

-I posted this story over five years ago  (man my life has changed so much lol) about the underperforming Jax golf tourism industry.   http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php?topic=4304.0

[Ocklawaha]

One Spark is below the Gator Bowl in daily attendance. It is not a top 5, top 10 event. Not yet.

Lots of cities have jazz festivals.  Too many cities host bowl games.   Lots of cities host golf tournaments (and The Players isn't even in Duval County).  One Spark is the one big event that Jacksonville has that isn't yet repeated elsewhere.  That alone makes it pretty special.

tufsu1, were you not at the 'Mayport and All that Jazz,' festival? How about the next 5 or 6? Every music lover in the world has heard of 'Monterey' and likely the 'Montreux Jazz Festival' and/or 'New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.' We were well on the way to likewise be considered a 'World Cultural Event' as these 3 are known.

Once we started moving it around and charging admission, closed the Jazz stations and regulating gates, and basically 'doing the Jacksonville' we shot this gem in the head. My point being that you are right, it is not the Players, TaxGator Bowl, One Spark etc... but it could have been bigger then all 3 put together.  I say this because international media in Brasil, Colombia, Panama, Surinam as well as in Portland OR, Seattle and even Monterey, demonstrated the one thing they all knew was 'JACKSONVILLE AND ALL THAT JAZZ.' (I must confess among the railroaders they all knew two words, JACKSONVILLE and SKYWAY!) We have typically screwed the pooch on this though we could possibly get our momentum back.

[fsujax]

I was at a bar this weekend in Anchorage, Alaska and guess what was on the big screen. The Players. What was really interesting is there was almost no mention of Jacksonville in the coverage.

[fsquid]

I was at a bar this weekend in Anchorage, Alaska and guess what was on the big screen. The Players. What was really interesting is there was almost no mention of Jacksonville in the coverage.

I've noticed that too.  Only mentioned it when talking about the weather.

[IrvAdams]

One Spark is below the Gator Bowl in daily attendance. It is not a top 5, top 10 event. Not yet.

Lots of cities have jazz festivals.  Too many cities host bowl games.   Lots of cities host golf tournaments (and The Players isn't even in Duval County).  One Spark is the one big event that Jacksonville has that isn't yet repeated elsewhere.  That alone makes it pretty special.

tufsu1, were you not at the 'Mayport and All that Jazz,' festival? How about the next 5 or 6? Every music lover in the world has heard of 'Monterey' and likely the 'Montreux Jazz Festival' and/or 'New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.' We were well on the way to likewise be considered a 'World Cultural Event' as these 3 are known.

Once we started moving it around and charging admission, closed the Jazz stations and regulating gates, and basically 'doing the Jacksonville' we shot this gem in the head. My point being that you are right, it is not the Players, TaxGator Bowl, One Spark etc... but it could have been bigger then all 3 put together.  I say this because international media in Brasil, Colombia, Panama, Surinam as well as in Portland OR, Seattle and even Monterey, demonstrated the one thing they all knew was 'JACKSONVILLE AND ALL THAT JAZZ.' (I must confess among the railroaders they all knew two words, JACKSONVILLE and SKYWAY!) We have typically screwed the pooch on this though we could possibly get our momentum back.

I attended Jazz Fest when it was at Mayport and I must admit that although a small area it had a lot of pizazz and a great background. It looked organic and natural in its original setting.

[CityLife]

I was at a bar this weekend in Anchorage, Alaska and guess what was on the big screen. The Players. What was really interesting is there was almost no mention of Jacksonville in the coverage.

Did you watch the entire event? I was there and didn't see the broadcast, but they usually show a couple of aerials of the Jax and Jax Beach Skylines from the blimp, and say countless times how far the course is from DT Jax. Even casual golf fans around the country know its in/near Jax. I did catch the latter part on DVR and they referenced Jim Furyk several times as a local native from Jax.

[fsujax]

I didn't get to watch the whole event, unfortunately. So my statement only applies to the few hours I got to watch it.

[mtraininjax]

Last year The Players donated 7.1 million dollars to local charities.

Big Effin deal! Go do a google search on all the money that Wayne and Delores Weaver spread around Jacksonville. They donated 50 million in 2012, a million here and there, one year the Jags donated 14 million around Jacksonville on their own.

Now Khan thumps his chest and he's invested money in several local companies, but what has he donated in charity to the tune of the Weavers? TPC donating 7 million is good money, for sure. But don't forget the people who have really opened the spigot for donating in the community, Wayne and Delores Weaver.

[ProjectMaximus]

^all very true, but the "Weaver Family Foundation" isnt a signature event in Northeast Florida. That's what the conversation is about.

[mtraininjax]

^all very true, but the "Weaver Family Foundation" isnt a signature event in Northeast Florida. That's what the conversation is about.

You are correct, but the topic of how much money is donated to charity.........did come up. I think we can quash future discussions of charitable giving for later. Players remains a significant event, but any Jag game has the potential to make as large or great local impact.

[mtraininjax]

This just in.....

An economic study on the impact of the second annual One Spark festival in downtown Jacksonville last month has been released this week and it shows the five-day festival had a $1.816-million impact on the local economy.
The study was conducted by the Public Opinion Laboratory at the University of North Florida for Visit Jacksonville, Duval County's tourism bureau. Much of the analysis focuses on tourism-related industries such as the impact on hotels during the crowdfunding festival which ran from April 9-13....

One Spark 2014 only a 1.8 million impact locally. Is that close to TPC or even a Jaguar game? Nice to know it is growing, but come on folks, its nowhere near the impact of TPC or other large dollar events. Remember, its free to attend One Spark, no gate receipts, so 1.8 million is a good impact, just on visitors and new people to Jax. Would like to see some paid events to raise the level of the impact.

[IrvAdams]

This just in.....

An economic study on the impact of the second annual One Spark festival in downtown Jacksonville last month has been released this week and it shows the five-day festival had a $1.816-million impact on the local economy.
The study was conducted by the Public Opinion Laboratory at the University of North Florida for Visit Jacksonville, Duval County's tourism bureau. Much of the analysis focuses on tourism-related industries such as the impact on hotels during the crowdfunding festival which ran from April 9-13....

One Spark 2014 only a 1.8 million impact locally. Is that close to TPC or even a Jaguar game? Nice to know it is growing, but come on folks, its nowhere near the impact of TPC or other large dollar events. Remember, its free to attend One Spark, no gate receipts, so 1.8 million is a good impact, just on visitors and new people to Jax. Would like to see some paid events to raise the level of the impact.

But that 1.8 million is just tourist dollars for visitors and maybe locals buying lodging and food, etc.? Does it include crowd sourcing dollars for all the various projects and startups? Don't those dollars mostly flow into the local economy, eventually?

[JeffreyS]

I can't imagine the one week impact ever matching the players.  However OneSpark has an advantage on the impact scale in that it crowd funds business opportunities that continue to impact the area. Another big advantage is according to the news reports I watched Venture Capital investors came from all over the country, Europe and even Argentina to vest money more directly. Most of those were just getting introduced to the area and Jax has now been put on the investment dollar's map. My guess is while other events have a bigger immediate direct impact OneSpark's indirect impact may be as good or better than any of them.

[IrvAdams]

I can't imagine the one week impact ever matching the players.  However OneSpark has an advantage on the impact scale in that it crowd funds business opportunities that continue to impact the area. Another big advantage is according to the news reports I watched Venture Capital investors came from all over the country, Europe and even Argentina to vest money more directly. Most of those were just getting introduced to the area and Jax has now been put on the investment dollar's map. My guess is while other events have a bigger immediate direct impact OneSpark's indirect impact may be as good or better than any of them.

Yes. Totally agree.